The simmering tensions within the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Pala municipality erupted into an open split on Saturday after Congress councillors announced their decision to withdraw support to the independent collective led by the Pulikkakandam family over a controversial council vote sanctioning approval to a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) meeting.Although the Congress has announced its decision, party leaders said the withdrawal of support will take effect only after consultations with the UDF leadership, which is expected to take a final call on the future of the alliance.The rift came to a head over the municipal council’s decision to grant permission to the DYFI to hold a meeting at the Kottaramattom private bus stand under the civic body. The Congress parliamentary party had earlier resolved to oppose the request and urged chairperson Diya Pulikkakandam to defer consideration of the application. She, however, declined the request and proceeded with the agenda.The equations shifted when four councillors from the ruling side, including two of the three members of the independent collective, Binu Pulikkakandam and Biju Pulikkakandam, stayed away from the meeting. Their absence gave the Opposition a majority during the voting, enabling it to secure approval for the DYFI’s application. Alleging that the ruling side had deliberately facilitated the move, the Congress councillors staged a walkout in protest.The protesting councillors maintained that the absence of the Pulikkakandam brothers was part of a political move to weaken the Congress and benefit the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].Announcing the decision to withdraw support, Congress parliamentary party leader Tony Thaiparambil said the party’s next course of action would be decided in consultation with the UDF leadership. “The Congress had categorically instructed the collective not to allow the DYFI’s application to be approved. Instead, they stayed away from the council meeting in line with the directions of a CPI(M) leader. This amounts to a betrayal of the Congress, which helped them assume power. Despite repeated opportunities to mend their ways, they have continued to side with the CPI(M). We have therefore decided to withdraw our support from the collective,” he said.As part of the move, the six Congress councillors submitted a letter to the UDF leadership expressing their loss of confidence in Ms. Pulikkakandam. Before making the decision public, they also met senior UDF leaders to apprise them of the developments and seek their intervention.The UDF currently enjoys only a wafer thin majority in the 26 member municipal council. The front has 10 councillors of its own, comprising six from the Congress, three from Kerala Congress, and one from the Kerala Democratic Party (KDP). It has retained control of the municipality only with the support of the three member Independent Collective and a Congress rebel. Published - July 04, 2026 08:38 pm IST